GB2314117A

GB2314117A - Locking device for cord

Info

Publication number: GB2314117A
Application number: GB9612571A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jack Wild
Original assignee: IBEX ROPES Ltd
Current assignee: IBEX ROPES Ltd
Priority date: 1996-06-15
Filing date: 1996-06-15
Publication date: 1997-12-17
Also published as: GB9612571D0

Abstract

A locking device 10 for use with a length of cord 16, comprises a body member having a first guide path 11 with a restriction 13 to grip the cord and a second cord guide path 12 arranged at 90 degrees to the first guide path 11 so that the cord bends between the guide paths 11,12, thus increasing the friction which the locking device can apply to the cord. The free end of the cord 16 forms a loop 17 by passing through hole 15 in the body, and being knotted at 20.

Description

LOCKING DEVICES The invention relates to locking devices and particularly to locking devices for use with cord such as braided or elastic shock cord.

Braided or elastic shock cord has many uses, including securing articles to the roof racks of vehicles, securing items of sporting equipment such as parts and accessories of sailing boats or sail boards, and it is frequently necessary to quickly lock a length of cord in a particular position, for example after tension has been applied to the cord. It may also be necessary subsequently to adjust the position or tension of the cord.

A number of locking devices are known which enable lengths of cord to be locked and/or adjusted. The known devices generally comprise a cleat or similar device which has a narrow portion into which part of the cord can be jammed.

The known devices are generally satisfactory where tension is applied from one direction, but when the known devices are used for applications in which tension may be applied in two opposite directions, the cord will generally work loose.

We have developed a more versatile locking device which can be used to lock and adjust a variety of cords, irrespective of how tension is applied to the cord.

The invention provides a locking device for use with a length of cord, the locking device comprising a body member, a first cord guide path having a restriction device to grip the cord and a second cord guide path, the second cord guide path being arranged at a substantial angle to the first guide path so that in use the cord has to bend substantially between the first guide path and the second guide path, thus substantially increasing the friction which the locking device can apply to the cord.

The angle may lie between 85" and 95" and is preferably 90 .

One, or both, guide paths may comprise a channel, but it is preferred that at least one guide path comprises a bore through the body.

The restriction device may comprise a part of the first guide path which is narrowed so as to nip the cord.

The device may be arranged so that in use, the cord is caused to travel around a substantial bend on each side of the restriction device.

The device may, for example, have an anchoring point such that in use a cord can pass up the second guide path, around a first bend, through the restriction device and along the first guide path, around a second bend, and then pass in a loop back to the anchoring point on the locking device.

The locking device may for example be used as part of an exercise device, with the aforementioned loop providing a means to grip one end of an exercise cord.

A similar locking device and loop may be provided at the other end of the exercise cord.

Each loop may be provided with a hand grip.

The device may be manufactured from metal, or from plastics material.

A preferred plastics material is nylon.

The locking device may comprise an integral moulding.

The locking device may have any desired external shape, but preferred shapes include a T-shape and a heart shape.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of cord locking device according to the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking device, to a larger scale; Figure 5 is a view illustrating one use of the locking device according to this embodiment; and Figure 6 is a more detailed view of the part of Figure 5 ringed with a dotted line.

The device shown in the figures comprises an integrally moulded, nylon, heart-shaped body member 10.

The body member has a channel 11 in its upper face which defines a first cord guide path. From the base of this channel 11 a bore 12 extends downwardly to the bottom of the body member, defining a second cord guide path.

Within the first cord guide path 11 there is positioned a restriction device in the form of two opposed nipping ribs 13. The ribs converge towards the base of the channel 11, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3, to provide a nip into which a length of shock cord can be pressed as described below.

At one side of the body member there is an exit hole 14 from the first cord guide path 11 and the other side of the body member there is a hole 15 for use as an anchoring point as described below.

One possible use of the device is to provide handles for a an exercise cord 16 as shown in Figure 5. Two of the devices 10 are used to provide hand loops 17 and the loops may also be provided with hand grips 18.

Figure 6, which is a cross sectional view through one of the body members 10, shows how the gripping action takes place.

One end of the cord 16 is passed up the guide path 12, turns through 90" at the point 19 to pass along the first guide path 11 and out through the hole 14. This causes the cord to be jammed into the nip provided by the ribs 13.

The cord then passes around to form the loop 17, passing through a hand grip 18 if desired, and the free end of the cord is then passed back into the body 10 through the hole 15 and is knotted at 20, thus anchoring the free end of the cord within the body 10.

It will be seen from Figure 6 that the arrangement of the locking device causes the cord 16 not only to be jammed in the nip, but also to make a 90" turn at the point 19, thus substantially increasing the friction between the cord and the body 10. This has the effect that when tension is applied to the cord in the direction of arrow A of Figure 6, the cord remains securely gripped.

One of the most difficult forms of load for a cord locking device to resist is a load which is intermittently applied and removed. This brings about alternate contraction and expansion of the diameter of the cord and this tends to free the cord. However the device shown in Figure 6 has been found to be very resistive to this type of load. Furthermore, when the device is in use with the exercise cord as shown in Figure 5, the cord is caused to undergo a further turn of substantially 90" at the point 21, and this further assists the device in its effective working, making it resistant to loads applied in the direction of arrow B. Because the end of the cord is anchored by the knot 20, tension is also resisted in a third direction indicated by arrow C.

The size of the loops can nevertheless be readily adjusted to suit the hands of the user or to adjust the length of the exercise cord. To provide adjustment, the part of the cords jammed in the nip is pushed free, the cord is worked further in or further out of the hole 14 as desired, and the cord is then pressed back into the nip.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A locking device for use with a length of cord, the locking device comprising a body member, a first cord guide path having a restriction device to grip the cord and a second cord guide path, the second cord guide path being arranged at a substantial angle to the first guide path so that in use the cord has to bend substantially between the first guide path and the second guide path, thus substantially increasing the friction which the locking device can apply to the cord.

2. A locking device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the angle lies between 85" and 95".

3. A locking device as claimed in Claim 2, in which the angle is substantially 90".

4. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one guide path comprises a channel.

5. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one guide path comprises a bore through the body.

6. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the restriction device comprises a part of the first guide path which is narrowed so as to nip the cord.

7. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, arranged so that in use, the cord is caused to travel around a substantial bend on each side of the restriction device.

8. A locking device as claimed in Claim 7, having an anchoring point such that in use a cord can pass up the second guide path, around a first bend, through the restriction device and along the first guide path, around a second bend, and then pass in a loop back to the anchoring point on the locking device.

9. A locking device as claimed in Claim 8, for use as part of an exercise device, with the aforementioned loop providing a means to grip one end of an exercise cord.

10. A locking device as claimed in Claim 9, in which a similar locking device and loop is provided at the other end of the exercise cord.

il. A locking device as claimed in Claim 10, in which each loop is provided with a hand grip.

12. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, manufactured from nylon.

13. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising an integral moulding.

14. A locking device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a T-shape.

15. A locking device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 13, comprising a heart shape.

16. A locking device constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.